We lay out the garden path from bricks. Making a brick path with your own hands Brick path

The design of paths in a dacha can greatly influence the design of the site. Therefore, it is so important to pay attention to creating beautiful paths.

Moreover, you can make an interesting path from various materials, for example, a brick path will look elegant, but mysterious country house design a path made of round timber will give natural wood, the path from river pebbles, will emphasize original design and a path made of plastic corks will make it brighter.

In addition, there are ready-made removable panels that can be laid out each year to your liking.

Country path project

Before you start laying a path, you need to create a plan for the area, in which you identify all the buildings, garden plantings, flower beds and schematically mark the path. The drawing must also include auxiliary objects, such as an irrigation system.

When creating a plan, you need to take into account all the nuances, so you should be as comfortable as possible when getting to any place in the garden. In addition, you need to take into account the fact that you need to walk around your territory in any weather conditions and at any time of the year.

Now the completed project must be applied directly to the site.

It will be easier to determine the width of the path and its direction if you apply markings directly on the site, which is especially important for a path made of paving slabs or brick.

It is best to make markings with pegs, which you must first drive in and then pull the rope along them. Also, for convenience, the side border of the path can be marked by sprinkling it with lime.

It is important to take into account that removing the top layer of soil to lay the path should be wider than the path, because for reliability and durability it will need curbs made of such durable materials like concrete or stone.

Preparatory work

In order for your garden path to serve you faithfully for many years, you will need thorough preparation.

So, you need to take into account that the path should have a slight slope, and in the area of ​​the slope you need to make a drainage trench. This is necessary so that rainwater drains from the path and excess moisture does not damage the coating.

The thickness of the removed soil should be 15 ÷ 200 mm. After this, in order for the edges to remain even, it is necessary to install boards along the entire perimeter of the dug hole from the sides.

Then a “pillow” is made; gravel is poured into the hole along with cement and everything is compacted and moistened. The “pillow” should have a thickness of 50-100 mm.

Types of garden paths

There are a lot of materials that can be used to make an excellent country path.

Brick path. This path is reliable, durable and looks very elegant in appearance.

Wooden path. This path looks beautiful and even mysterious; the round timber laid out in the form of an ornate path resembles a fairy tale path.

Stone path. Those who want to see a stylish and elegant garden path They can try a mosaic version made from river pebbles.

Cement path. This path is durable and reliable. To make it attractive, you can use special shaped molds, thereby getting the effect of a paved path.

Garden path made of plastic covers. A rather unusual, but at the same time bright version of the path in the form of a mosaic of multi-colored plastic bottle caps.

Availability large quantity colors and availability of material, allow you to create a path with a variety of patterns that will make the landscape of your site a real work of art.

Plastic prefabricated path. This type of track can be quickly and easily installed and, if necessary, changed and even removed.

Thanks to the textured surface plastic panels It is convenient to walk along the path, because it does not slip, even if it gets wet. A large assortment plastic products will allow you to choose a garden path of any color and shape.

In addition, using slabs you can make a path of any shape and width. Plastic construction allows you to organize a path in any part of the site.

Another advantage of such a path is that, thanks to its structure, moisture will not accumulate on it, water will flow out through special holes.

Garden parquet path. This material is one of the most expensive, but its advantages outweigh the desire to save money.

Thus, “garden parquet” can be easily assembled and disassembled; wood treated with a special solution is not susceptible to moisture, fading, or temperature changes, has strength and durability, and besides, such a path will look luxurious.

Photo of garden paths on the site

For the construction of a brick path in the garden, which is constantly under negative impact adverse weather conditions, not every brick is suitable. Therefore, you only need to purchase a special paving stones made from clay. Of course, this is expensive, but if you want to save money and use ordinary solid bricks, then failure awaits you, since after the first season cracks will form on this brick, and if the brick is over-burnt or under-burnt, it may collapse after the first same winter.

In northern climates, brick paths can only be laid using materials from trusted manufacturers who have been on the market for a long time. Most often, paving bricks have a size of 20x10 cm.

The same results can be obtained if you lay out a path in the garden using ordinary paving slabs, but a path made from elements with a larger area looks much more advantageous when compared with paths made from small paving stones. A path made from paving blocks will be too full of seams, and this leads to the loss of the visual integrity of the structure.

A very important place on the path is where it meets the lawn. Whether the outer bricks will begin to creep apart and the entire path will follow them depends on whether the joint is strong. Experts recommend installing the outermost bricks on the end, additionally supporting them from the outside with a board buried to the level of the lawn, which in turn should be secured with wedges driven into the ground.

The board must be protected with an antiseptic. After two years, when your path has finally settled, you can remove the board and fill it with granite chips. For this purpose, you need to choose a board with a thickness of 2.5 cm and a height that is the sum of the height of the brick and the thickness of the pillow. In addition, the board will serve as a guide while creating a flat sandy plane, which will serve as the basis for laying the brick.

How to make brick paths with your own hands?

When planning the location of the path, you must try to lay it so that it goes away from large trees, since their roots can easily lift the brick and thereby disrupt the integrity of the path.

But the main threat to the path lies in the water. In addition to washing away the base, the water that will accumulate near the brick will lead to it being deeply saturated with it, and in winter, due to constant freeze-thaw cycles, the water will simply tear the brick into pieces.

Therefore, if your terrain does not allow free flow of water, it is necessary to dig a small deep trench on one, or better yet, on both sides.

The path is based on two layers, the bottom of which is a mixture of gravel and sand or granite chips.

After removing the soil, it is necessary to fill in the gravel mixture and compact it thoroughly. If you compact it manually, you need to water the surface to make compaction better. The thickness of the gravel layer does not have a specific value; it depends on the availability of drainage in the area, the type of soil and the topography. The minimum thickness of this layer should not be less than 5 cm if available ideal conditions. As practice shows, on a summer cottage, bedding should be 10-15 cm thick or, in some cases, more.

The top layer should consist of coarse sand and it is better if it is alluvial. The thickness of the layer should be equal to the difference between the thickness and height of the brick + 2-4 cm. Before laying the sand, it is necessary to moisten it thoroughly with water.

The layer of sand needs to be leveled, and in order for the compaction to be better, it is necessary not only to level it, pulling out the excess, but first you need to push the sand using a rule and only then level it, pulling the rule towards you. But you shouldn’t try to level a large area; you need to carry out a push-pull cycle of 5-10 cm. This is affected by the moisture content of the sand, the grain size and the width of the path. There is no need to put in too much effort, since the sand will be well compacted when the brick is laid.

After laying the brick, you need to use a small scoop to carefully remove some of the sand near the boards to install the side bricks in this place. Curb bricks need to be installed in place and driven into place with careful but sharp blows so that they are installed at the desired level.

Once the installation of the curb stones is complete, you can begin laying the main surface of the path. It is necessary to think through the design in advance and it is better not to come up with an overly complex pattern.

The installation of each brick must be checked with a level and driven into the sand with a hammer slowly, so as not to overdo it, otherwise the brick may fail, squeezing out the sand. There is nothing wrong with this, but you will have to level the sand again and install the brick.

The last stage of construction is filling the vertical joints between the bricks. This stage of work is the easiest and most enjoyable. You need to pour sand onto the surface of the brick path and move it along the surface with a mop, filling all the existing voids with it. After this, you will need to water the path and leave it for a while.

Such a path can decorate not only a dacha, but also any cottage. You can also lay out a terrace in a similar way.

With proper use of the material and adherence to laying technology, a path made of broken bricks can serve not only as a functional element of the dacha exterior. A neatly paved path made from waste products allows you to effectively emphasize the style garden complex and improve the visual perception of space.

The key advantages of using waste construction resources are:

• ease of installation. Paving garden sidewalks and paths from brick fragments requires only basic knowledge of working with the material and a simple set of tools;
• product availability. A waste resource allows you to save a considerable amount on the preparation of materials;
• the possibility of recycling construction waste with significant benefits for the budget. That is, there is no need to remove broken remains of products to clean the area.

Among the disadvantages of using leftover building materials, the need for additional processing to extend service life is noted. Moreover, this does not apply to clinker bricks, which have high performance characteristics.

Broken brick is an excellent material for arranging garden paths

How to use broken bricks

When planning how to use broken bricks in the country, home craftsmen find interesting solutions, such as:

• paving beautiful garden sidewalks;
• creating borders;
• design of flower beds and raised beds.

Also, when deciding how to use broken bricks, it is recommended to use recycled material in the construction of gabions and arranging the foundations for alpine slides. Most gardeners are keen on designing high vegetable beds, the design of which provides for the formation of a powerful drainage layer, where different-sized fragments of crops can also be effectively used. Using waste products, it is easy to build high-quality drainage when planting trees and shrubs.

As experienced tilers note, the use of unsightly material can yield quite original results. For example, from a product unsuitable for construction, you can make a path border by placing the specimens on the edge at an angle of 45°. To get a unique masterpiece in the form of a garden path with an original masonry pattern, you can organize a composition of broken bricks and whole bricks.

How to make a path from broken bricks: stages of work

So that the end result pleases with worthy decorative and functional characteristics, you should adhere to the technology of paving garden paths.

Planning

When planning a brick path with your own hands, consider the following points:

• the width of the path is chosen so that two people can walk along it freely;
• the distance between the object being designed and the trees is at least 2 meters, otherwise the growing roots of the plantings may eventually lead to the destruction of the base of the structure.

Tools and materials

When building a garden path, you will need the following tools and accessories:

• tape measure, pegs and cord for marking;
• shovel - bayonet and shovel;
• tamping tool;
• hammer - rubber and regular;
• usually trowel, brush;
• container for preparing the solution.

To process uneven edges of broken products, you will need a grinder with a diamond blade.

In addition to the main building materials, you should take care of the availability of:

• sand and crushed stone of the middle fraction;
• Portland cement grade 400;
• geotextiles.

It's also worth having on hand garden wheelbarrow for moving materials, a hose for final surface treatment with water.

Preparing the base

When deciding how to make a road from broken bricks when organizing a country landscape, perform the following algorithm for preparing the foundation:

• along the marking line it is necessary to remove the top soil to a depth of 20-25 cm;
• the trench is sprinkled with a leveling layer of sand 2-3 cm thick and compacted;
• the entire surface of the trench is covered with geotextiles;
• the non-woven fabric is covered with a layer of sand 2-3 cm thick;
• the next one is a drainage layer of crushed stone 10 cm thick;
• Then the drainage is covered with sand and a second layer of geotextile is laid.

It is worth considering that a layer of sand between the geotextile and crushed stone helps prevent deformation of the waterproofing sheet by the sharp edges of the pebbles.

Forming a border

The perimeter of the trench is decorated with a border. Here you can use a concrete solution or plastic products. It is also important to use a brick border, laying it on the edge. Fastening the curb structure is carried out different ways: with help cement mortar, steel reinforcing elements or other convenient means. After the border is formed, a dry cement-sand mixture is poured onto the geotextile and the composition is leveled using a rule taking into account water drainage from the surface.

Brick laying

When paving a garden path, one of the simple masonry options is used, including:

• classic spoon dressing in the form of a longitudinal pattern;
• herringbone pattern at different angles;
• “braid” single or double;
• alternating horizontal lines with vertical ones.

Broken bricks according to the selected pattern are laid on a prepared cement-sand surface:

• when laying, stones are tapped with a rubber hammer for better fit;
• sagging specimens need to be lifted by adding sand under them;
• after laying the material, pour a little cement-sand mixture onto the surface;
• Then, using a brush, sweep the compound to fill the seams.

At the end installation work the surface is spilled with water to compact and set the seams.

Final processing

The last installation steps, including filling the joints with a cement-sand composition and water procedures, must be repeated after 2-3 days, when the cement has set well.

Practical tips for long-term use of broken brick garden paths:

• so that the surface of the sidewalk does not deform under the influence of moisture and temperature changes, the stones are treated with a water repellent or moisture-proof varnish;
• if clay brick is used, the material is processed 2 times before installation hydrophobic composition by completely immersing the product in liquid and drying it;
• The validity period of hydrophobic agents is 5 years; after this period of time, re-treatment of the pavement surface is necessary. The service life of an object is also affected by the level of intensity of operation.

The potential of broken bricks, especially if the material is used in different color solutions, allows you to create interesting compositions, which is confirmed in the works of the masters.

Brick is traditionally considered building material, used in the construction of building walls, fences and fences. However, its capabilities are much wider. One popular application is paving paths. For those who are not afraid to try their hand at new types of work, it will be useful to learn how to make a garden path out of brick. Moreover, there is nothing super complicated in independent execution there is no such operation.

Preparation of tools and materials

To ensure that the work progresses and the result pleases long years, it is important to have a set on hand the necessary tool. As for materials, they usually take old bricks or those that remained after construction on the site.

Brick Pavement Design

What tools are needed for paving?

To complete the work you will need the following set of tools:

• shovels (scoop and bayonet);
• tamping;
• hammer;
• hacksaw;
• rubber mallet;
• building level;
• rule;
• roulette;
• thin cord;
• metal or wooden stakes.

Laying scheme

To make your work easier manual tamper can be replaced with electric or gasoline. And to cut bricks to the required size, use an angle grinder (grinder).

Materials required for work

The work will require the following list of materials:

• brick;
• sand;
• cement;
• gravel;
• geotextiles.

Old brick paving option

In most cases, leftover stones from construction are used to pave garden paths. Also good at work old brick, obtained by dismantling buildings erected in the first half of the 20th century or even earlier. By the way, it is not necessary to use whole stones. Paths at the dacha made of broken bricks will look good. Elements of different sizes will add a special charm finished product. And if these are old stones that differ in color, then this will make your paths unlike any others.

Sequence of actions during construction

You need to start by planning your future path. If heavy traffic of people is not expected, then a width of 80–100 cm will be sufficient. You must definitely pay attention to the proximity of large trees. The distance to them should be at least 60–70 cm. Otherwise, the powerful roots of a growing tree can destroy the path. It is best to plan future walking routes before fertile soil is brought to the site. This will reduce the volumes earthworks.

Planning a garden path

Preparing the base for installation

To make work easier, the outline of the future path is marked using stakes and a stretched cord. It is advisable to repeat its shape as accurately as possible. After this, a layer of earth is removed with a shovel within the area limited by the cords. The thickness of the layer to be removed depends on how the bricks will be laid - flat or rubbed - and the thickness of the gravel-sand substrate.

Then a layer of gravel is poured into the prepared bed. It will serve as drainage. After laying and leveling, the gravel is compacted. The next layer is a geotextile fabric. This material will allow water to seep down without problems, and for germinating weeds it will become an insurmountable obstacle.

The next step is installing the curb. It will fix the stones and prevent them from spreading to the side under the influence of mechanical influences and natural precipitation. The functions of a border can be performed by the same brick installed on an edge, or by a traditional curb stone. Temporary sides can become wooden boards, fixed with stakes. Instead, it will be possible to pour a concrete curb later.

Laying a brick underlay

Next, clean sand or a cement-sand mixture is poured over the geotextile. A ratio of 1:5 will be sufficient. The resulting layer is leveled using the rule. This tool will not only make the surface smooth, but also compact it a little.

Laying the final coating

Laying is done using a rubber (rubberized) mallet. Each brick is carefully tapped to the base. During the laying process, continuous control of the plane is carried out. It is important to remember about a slight slope to one of the edges to allow rain and melt water to drain. Adjacent bricks should have a small gap of 1–3 millimeters.

For final fixation of individual elements, the path is covered with a cement-sand mixture and swept with a brush. The mixture gets into the cracks, fills them and fixes the bricks. To be sure, this operation can be repeated several times.

Laying nuances

To prevent water flowing from the surface of the path from forming puddles, a drainage channel is dug along the lower edge. Through it, water will be discharged to a predetermined place.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this work. But it’s not for nothing that they say that a professional can handle any job better. Therefore, it is better to entrust the pedestrian recreation area at your dacha to specialists.

Brick garden paths are a functional element summer cottage plot. To make them yourself, you just need to study the issue and follow the recommendations.

Advantages and disadvantages

Choosing a brick has a number of advantages: installation will be simple, the raw materials are commercially available and inexpensive, and you can use either a whole brick or its fragments. True, such a design will not be durable and, under the constant influence of precipitation and temperature changes, parts will begin to crumble after 2-3 years.

Use bricks to create a path on your property

To make the structure less susceptible to destruction, you can treat the masonry parts with a special moisture-repellent substance, use clinker bricks during construction, or buy imitation tiles. In this case, the processing of raw materials must be performed by complete immersion in the substance, and this stage must be repeated at least 2-3 times. This will increase resistance to humidity and frost.

It is also important to remember that the service life of moisture-repellent substances is usually about 5 years. After this time has expired, you will need to repeat the processing again. The effect of the varnish depends on how intensively the building is used.

Clinker stone is different high level moisture resistance and therefore little susceptible to destruction. It is more durable and more attractive in appearance, but its price is higher than usual.

Video “Do-it-yourself garden path”

This video clearly shows the main stages of track construction:

Preparatory stage

You can independently, even without extensive construction experience, build a path in your dacha. To do this, strictly follow all instructions. When you understand what kind of path you want, you need to decide on materials and other nuances that are not directly related to construction work.

Localization and tagging

When choosing a location, consider the following points:

1. The width and smoothness of turns should be such that two people can pass each other without any problems, or a loaded wheelbarrow can pass.
2. The route should be such that it provides access to all parts of the yard even in bad weather.
3. The building should be no closer than 2 m from trees, since root system may damage the integrity of the masonry.
4. It is necessary to coordinate the irrigation system so that water does not flood the surface of the path, otherwise it will be washed away and destroyed. If there is no way to coordinate, then you need to make a slight slope and ditches for water drainage.

To mark the future building, take wooden pegs, a tape measure and a rope. Place pegs at a distance of 3–4 m around the perimeter, and increase their number at turns.

When choosing raw materials for masonry, choose one of these types:

• paving bricks or tiles;
• clinker;
• masonry ceramic;
• paving stones.

Keep in mind that you can use broken bricks for the pedestrian area, but only if it is in harmony with the rest of the design of the site.

When deciding on the brick parameters, rely on the type of pattern of the future path, as well as its length and width.

When determining required type be guided by this principle:

• calculate the amount of materials that will fit exactly across the width of the structure during installation;
• calculate the length in the same way;
• calculate the optimal ratio of the sizes of raw materials so that after installation there is a minimum of unused raw materials left, and the amount of required debris is minimal.

Taking into account all the factors, draw up a design project, while trying to identify all the parameters as accurately as possible. The correctness of the drawing will help to avoid shortcomings at the construction stage, and knowledge of the dimensions of the future building and the dimensions of the materials directly affects the aesthetics of the structure.

Technological sequence

After drawing up the project, it’s time to purchase raw materials and get tools.

So, in addition to stone, purchase cement, waterproofing film (for example, geotextiles), and stock up on sand and crushed stone.

The tools you will need are:

• shovel;
• container for solution;
• hammer - regular and with a rubber head;
• roulette;
• level;
• rope;
• Master OK;
• gloves.

Preparing the base

The foundation of the building is made according to the algorithm described below. To begin, follow the markings and remove the soil so that you get a depression 20–30 cm deep. At the bottom do sand cushion 2–3 cm in size and compact. Next, cover the future path with waterproofing material. This is necessary to remove moisture and prevent plants from sprouting in the base.

Hide the crushed stone under another layer of sand and cover it with a new layer of geotextile. After that - again a layer of sand or a dry mixture of cement and sand. The latter will increase the strength and stability of the masonry.

Thoroughly compact the resulting base using wooden beam or plastering rule, while taking into account the need to ensure water drainage after laying the raw materials.

Finishing work

Before you begin the actual installation, you will need to choose a pattern. Now there are many options for decorative masonry:

• herringbone with a right angle and 45° - stones are placed at an angle;
• regular and double braiding;
• alternating vertical and horizontal rows;
• offset rows - the joints deliberately do not match;
• masonry with geometric patterns– laying out squares, rhombuses, etc.

Sequence of work:

1. Remove some of the sand along the boards.
2. Fix the curb along the entire path in the recess. In this case, all elements must be tightly installed to each other and form a continuous line.
3. Now, starting from the edge in a sequential row, begin laying out the brick in accordance with the chosen pattern. Each stone must be carefully fixed to the base with a rubberized hammer.
4. Each subsequent row should be equal to the one already laid. The elements should fit tightly to each other so that there are no cracks or gaps; strive to assemble a monolithic masonry.
5. To prevent the formation of distortions, periodically carry out inspections and check the evenness of the masonry using a building level. At the same time, remember the need to create a slight slope of the entire surface to drain away precipitation.
6. If defects do appear, use a trowel or the same rubberized hammer to correct them by hammering them in harder or, conversely, removing the coating elements. Then check the evenness of the line again and move on if the defect is corrected.
7. After installation is complete, cover the surface with a layer of sand mixed with cement. Carefully level it with a lint mop or broom so that all the resulting cracks are filled. This way the loose mixture will fill the gaps, hold the elements together and increase the strength of the masonry.
8. When the gaps are eliminated, sweep away any remaining sand from the surface.

Laying the border

An important part of your path is the curb line. It can be made of concrete, plastic, stone or other materials. As we have already said, the curb is placed in a specially dug recess and fixed with cement mortar.

If you decide on brick, you can lay it out in horizontal rows or teeth. To do this, you need to install them on the edge and tap them with a rubber hammer. During laying out, it is also necessary to check the evenness with a level.

You can also use the material that is at hand for the border: glass or plastic bottles, shards of glass or brick.

To lay out a border of bottles, you first need to fill them with sand, and using fragments allows you to make a mosaic pattern.

Subtleties of working with old material

If you need to save money, you can get by at low cost by using broken bricks. The process of laying a garden path from fragments has some peculiarities. As a rule, parts of ordinary red brick are used.

So, for such masonry, in addition to the standard set of tools, you will also need a grinder with a diamond wheel to process uneven edges.

So, you will also need to fence the perimeter, set up stakes and make a recess of 25–30 cm. The process of creating the base is identical to the usual version. The most time-consuming part of this work is laying out the broken parts so that they form a flat, smooth surface. To do this, you need to select larger pieces, with at least one flat surface and a rubber mallet, and drive them into the base. In this case, the depth of such driving will be different. In this case, you will need to resort to the help of a building level more often. Try to keep the gaps between the elements no more than 2–3 mm.

After completion, also sprinkle the finished mass with a mixture of cement so that all the cracks are plugged and sweep away the remaining layer.

Building a path at your dacha with your own hands is a rather labor-intensive process. Nevertheless, you can do this layer of work yourself and get a satisfactory result that will be both practical and design-attractive. To do this, study the pattern options, purchase required material, make a drawing and follow step by step instructions. And remember: in any work, your safety is paramount.